Outdoor gyms: a how-to guide

Have you seen an urban outdoor gym in a park near you? In recent years, local councils have been trying to tackle our national couch potato problem by investing in obstacles and machines in public outdoor spaces that are free, and easy to use.

The main provider of these spaces, The Great Outdoor Gym Company, has installed over 400 such spaces in the UK since 2007, after observing the success of similar equipment in China in the 1990s (in the future, they may even provide more than this: some of TGOC’s machines generate their own electricity).

These gyms have now become a regular sight in open spaces across the UK, often near children’s playgrounds, which encourages parents to use them while their kids play. You can usually find your nearest one on your local council website.

These spaces have been designed to provide low-impact training in an intuitive and easy way. The various machines target the lower body, upper body and core, not to mention cardiovascular and weight-based strength exercises. Some boast wooden obstacles – parallel bars, hurdles, leapfrog, step-ups, pull-up bars and benches. Others feature more recognisable gym machine equipment – cross-training machines and weights for resistance work. Some areas also have changing rooms. The spaces appear to appeal to individuals who normally struggle to find the time or money to attend a regular gym, and 26% of users are new to exercise.

Once you’ve located an outdoor gym, how does a beginner get the best from it?

Here's a guide to the machines you’ll find in your local park gym, what they do and how to use them. All the machines should be labelled with what areas they target so should be easy to identify. A word of warning however, if you are unsure of whether to use a machine, or how to use it properly, always seek advice before embarking on your workout. Always include a mixture of upper body and lower body exercises and aim to cover all the major muscles of the body. Warm-up with some gentle cardio and mix it with some strength machines to keep your heart rate up. Aim to go three to four times a week for at least 30 minutes, and ensure you finish with some stretching to guard against aching muscles the next day.

Cross-trainer, treadmill or bike:

Start on these machines to give your joints and muscles a gentle warm-up and help them get ready for the workout ahead. Cardiovascular exercise is important to ensure heart health, weight-management and has also been proven to aid symptoms of depression, amongst other things. To increase your endurance, aim to push yourself until you feel a good burn in the muscles, are breathless and a bit red in the face, but stop at any sign of physical pain.

Chest press or shoulder machines:

These work the upper torso and are a great way to build strength in the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. Sit down on the machine, then push the handles forwards or over your head, and lower them slowly. As a beginner, start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps, then work up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Lat pull-down machines or pull-up bars:

The lats (latissimi dorsi) are the muscles to the outside of your shoulder blades on your upper back. Using either the machine or the pull-up bars will not only strengthen your lats, but will also give you a good bicep workout. On the lat machine, grab the handles and pull them down by squeezing your shoulder blades together and using your back muscles. On the pull-up bars, lift your chest up to the bar while keeping your shoulder blades back and down. Start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps, and gradually build up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Benches or oblique machines:

These pieces of equipment target your core by challenging your mid section. A few sessions on these and you should build a solid set of abdominal muscles which is not only going to help you look good, but will protect your back and improve your posture. The benches are great for sit-ups and crunches: lie down, hook your feet under the bars, then lift your torso to up by engaging your abdominal muscles. Use the oblique machines to strengthen the sides of your core by rotating your feet. Start with two sets of 15 and build up to 4 sets.

Leg press machine:

This machine works out not only your quads (the muscles at the front of your thigh) but also your glutes and hamstrings (the muscles at the back of the legs and top of the bottom) so is excellent for toning the lower body. Sit down and push your body off the platform using your feet, keeping the heels down and your abs engaged. Start with two sets of 15 reps and work up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Once you get comfortable with how to use the machines, you can start getting creative with your workouts. Draw up your own routine, run there and back, and maybe even bring a bunch of friends. The trick to stick to your exercise routine is to make sure you enjoy it. Learn to feel each movement, connect with people around you and enjoy the sensations of being outdoors. This will help you be more consistent with your workouts, and in no time at all you’ll be smashing your weekly target – and hopefully inspiring others around you to do the same.

Will Pike is a personal trainer, and the founder of love:Fitness, a programme which specialises in helping professionals to improve their food intake, movement habits, mindset and life.

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